Scheduled MonumentsWalesSt Cybi's Well
Medieval · Holy Well

St Cybi's Well

Conwy, Wales
Cadw SAM CN037
Period
Medieval
Site type
Holy Well
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

St Cybi's Well is a medieval holy well located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument under reference CN037. The well sits upon Llanvirn Rocks, an undifferentiated formation of the Whiterock period composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. These ancient sedimentary deposits create a stable geological foundation that would have made the site reliable for water collection and retention in medieval times.

Holy wells such as this were focal points of spiritual devotion and community life throughout the medieval period in Wales. They were typically associated with local saints—in this case Saint Cybi—and became destinations for pilgrimage and ritual practice. The well's position on permeable Whiterock strata would have ensured a consistent water supply, essential both for its practical use and its religious significance.

The monument remains an important testament to Wales's medieval religious landscape and the enduring relationship between communities and their sacred natural resources. Its protection by Cadw reflects the archaeological and cultural value of such sites in understanding medieval Welsh society and spiritual practices. The well survives as evidence of centuries-old traditions of veneration and the role of holy wells as centres of faith and healing.

St Cybi's Well is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CN037. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is St Cybi's Well?

St Cybi's Well is a medieval holy well located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument under reference CN037.

What period does St Cybi's Well date from?

St Cybi's Well dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a holy well. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting St Cybi's Well?

St Cybi's Well is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is CN037.

What other scheduled monuments are near St Cybi's Well?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cross-Incised Stone in Llangybi Churchyard (0.1 km), Carn Pentyrch Camp (0.6 km), Four Crosses Standing Stone (3.5 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about St Cybi's Well

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of St Cybi's Well's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under St Cybi's Well

St Cybi's Well stands on Llanvirn Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Whiterock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

The wider landscape

Around St Cybi's Well

Bryn Celli DduArchaeological site · ~18.5 miles